David Coyle and Mark Megalos, Southern Regional Extension Forestry
Healthy forests provide many public benefits like clean air and water, wildlife and plant habitat, and diverse forest products that help the economy and ecosystem. Healthy forests also provide individuals with a greater opportunity to achieve their personal objectives such as the production of wood products, recreational or hunting experiences, aesthetic enjoyment, or a variety of other goals. Healthy forests are sustainable and meet owner objectives. Additionally, non-timber benefits are evident in a healthy forest; when trees are healthy, they produce nuts, cones, seeds, canopy, and leaf litter that provide food and habitat for understory plants and wildlife and enrich the soil. We define forest health as the ability of a forest to maintain and perpetuate a constant high quality supply of environmental benefits, products, and a diverse plant and animal community.
Status and Revision History
Published with Full Review on Apr 30, 2018